A report of news and commentary of the sport of ice hockey in the southwest U.S.A.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Bossier-Shreveport wins in a goal fest against Tulsa 6-4

Bossier-Shreveport continues to have Tulsa's Number in recent years as the Mudbugs beat the Tulsa Oilers for their 15th straight win over the Oilers as the Mudbugs go to 3-0-0 and temporally go to the top of the Berry Conference (South) while the Oilers have lost their first game of the year after winning a home-and-home series against the Wichita Thunder on opening weekend of the season.

Bossier-Shreveport has scored a ton of goals in the early season as the Mudbugs beat the Mississippi Riverkings scored 10 on opening night against the Riverkings as they beat them 10-1. So far through 3 games, Mudbugs forwards Brett Smith and Justin Aikins are 1-and-2 on the scoring leaders as Brett Smith has already scored 5 goals and has added 4 assists for 9 points. While Aikins has scored 7 points (3G 4A) as the Mudbugs have already scored 18 goals in 3 games (avg. 6 goals a game) so far.

For Tulsa, the Oilers are looking to turn things around as the Oilers have been in the bottom rung of the CHL the last several years, last year hopefully was a springboard as the Oilers just missed the playoffs as they were beaten by 5 points to then expansion Missouri Mavericks last season. Bossier-Shreveport on the other hand had a great season by finishing 3rd in the North and beat Colorado in the Conference Semifinals and pushed the eventual Presidents Cup Champion Rapid City Rush in 7 games.

Coming up later this week for the two teams will match up twice against the Allen Americans (Thursday & Friday), then will head to the other side of the Metroplex for a Saturday Night tilt against the Texas Brahmas.

For Tulsa, it's a trip up north to Illinois as the Oilers will face the Blommington Prairie Thunder on Saturday Night.

From Bossier-City, Louisana: Three unanswered goals to end the second period helped the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs to a 6-4 win over the Tulsa Oilers on Thursday Night at the Century Tel Center. The Bugs are now the only 3-0-0 team in the Central Hockey League after earning their 15th straight victory against the Tulsa Oilers.

The forward line of Justin Aikins, David Rutherford and Jeff Martins accounted for four of Bossier-Shreveport's Goals and added three assists. Rutherford scored two goals (including the game winner) and added an assist, when Martens scored for the first time as a Mudbug and chipped in two helpers as well.

The Bugs stated quick with two goals in the first 4:09 of the contest. First Aikins beat a defender on the Rush before backhanding the puck short sided on Trevor Cann, and then the Martens knocked home a rebound following an Oilers turnover in their own zone. Tulsa answered with three goals later in the period, started with Jack Combs power play tally at 9:18. Combs added a shorthanded goal less then three minutes later and Chad Costello capped off the period with a breakaway goal to make it 3-2 Oilers after one.

The Mudbugs tied at 3-3 with Jamie Milam scored on the power play early in the second, but Costello scored his second goal of the night on a rebound off the end boards to re-take the lead for Tulsa. David Rutherford wasted little time in tying it at 4-4, beating Cann from between the circles for his first goal of the season at 14:54. The Bugs went on top to stay less then three minutes later when Rutherford scored again, backhanding a shot over Cann's right pad to finish off a nice passing play with Martens and Aikins to make it 5-4.

Brett Smith extended the lead to 6-4 late in the 2nd period, crashing the net the force in his own rebound off a Tulsa player in front of the net with 1:03 left in the period. Tyler Simms relived Cann in goal for the Oilers, who pressed hard in the third period, but no goals were scored in the final frame despite an 11-2 shot advantage for the Oilers.

The Bugs will take one day off before jumping in their first set of three games in three days against Allen. The Mudbugs host the Americans on Thursday and Friday at the Century Tel Center before traveling to Texas for their first meeting against the Brahmas on Saturday Night at the NYTEX Sports Center.

Great seats are still available for the games vs. Allen on Thursday and Friday, so contact the team office at 318-752-BUGS for more info on season tickets, mini plans and group tickets. Individual tickets are available through Ticket Master at 318-741-9700, online at http://www.ticketmaster.com/ or at the Century Tel Center main box office.